On Prayer
On Prayer
“Prayer is not about getting what we want,” says Brian Blount, a Princeton New Testament professor, “or even what we oftentimes are sure is right for us and those around us; prayer is about unleashing the frightening, unstable, uncontrollable power of God.”
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (NRSV)
Description
Prayer is not control—it is surrender.
Context (Selected Witnesses of Prayer’s Power)
- Numbers 11:2 — “Then the people cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire abated.”
- Job 42:10 — “And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends…”
- Jonah 2:1 — “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish…”
Reflection
Friends,
In one of my concordances, I found over fifty references to the word “prayed.” The passages above are only a few examples that point to the awesome—and at times unsettling—power of God at work through prayer.
That power can be misunderstood, especially when we do not grasp the fullness of who God is.
I have often said: when you pray, you are inviting God to interfere in your life.
Too often, however, we approach prayer as if we want God to sign off on our plans. We come with solutions already formed, asking God to bless what we have already decided—even attempting to bless what may, in truth, be “unblessable.”
But prayer is not about aligning God with our will. It is about aligning ourselves with God’s perfect will.
It is about becoming people whose lives are pleasing in His sight—
loving God fully, and loving others faithfully.
In this post-Easter season, do not simply pray for God’s guidance—
pray, listen, and then act.
Blessings from Pottsboro,
Pastor Frank
alegria@lakewayumc.org